PM offers condolences, directs aid for UPSI students in bus-MPV crash
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the tragic incident should serve as a reminder about road safety.
PETALING JAYA : Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has conveyed his condolences to the families of those who died in a crash involving an MPV and a bus carrying students from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris early this morning.
'Our heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the victims. We pray that you will be granted strength and resilience in facing this immense hardship,' Anwar said in a Facebook post.
The prime minister also said he had instructed the higher education ministry to channel assistance to the families of the students involved.
'Heartbreaking tragedies like this, which occur far too often, must serve as a reminder to us all to always remain cautious and never rush to reach our destinations. Your lives are far too precious,' he said.
Higher education minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said in a Facebook post that the ministry was ready to give the necessary assistance. He said further updates would be provided in due course.
Bernama reported that at least 15 people were killed in the collision which took place on the Gerik-Jeli East West Highway, near Tasik Banding.
It is understood that the bus had been travelling from Jerteh, Terengganu, to Tanjung Malim, Perak.
A total of 48 victims were involved. Of these, 13 died at the scene and two at the hospital. Four others were injured.
UPSI deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs and alumni) Norkhalid Salimin said most of the passengers on the bus were students returning to campus after the Aidiladha break.
Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal called for a comprehensive investigation into the crash, including the drivers' qualifications, the condition of the vehicles, and their maintenance records.
'If negligence is found, action must be taken without compromise. Enough is enough.
'We cannot allow tragedy after tragedy to pass without learning from them. Their lives must not be reduced to mere statistics,' he said in a Facebook post.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Focus Malaysia
22 minutes ago
- Focus Malaysia
Siti Kasim berates Malays for excessive racist troll on Anthony Loke because he's a Chinese minister
'WHAT'S wrong with the Malays as they're becoming more racist with each passing day?' Such was the reaction of Siti Kasim to the slew of racist comments hurled at Anthony Loke Siew Fook – including demanding for his resignation as Transport Minister – after 15 Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students perished in a chartered bus crash in the wee hours of Monday (June 9). 'Would the Malays have made similar racist remarks if the Transport Minister were to be a Malay,' the human rights activist and lawyer fumed in a no holds barred tone in her latest YouTube rant. 'So you guys feel right to condemn him just because it happens that the dead are the Malays and he's a Chinese.' 'Use your brain if you want to condemn him … how can you fault the minister for the spate of (heavy vehicle) accidents?' In Siti Kasim's views, most of the crashes involving heavy vehicles are caused by reckless, speeding drivers which is synonymous with express/tour buses (even lorries, trucks and trailers) coupled with poor vehicle maintenance by companies that own the vehicles. 'Are you expecting the minister to also be responsible for the maintenance and service of the vehicles, too?' asked the Orang Asli advocate. 'Be ashamed that your stupid/shallow comments only show that you don't use your brains to think. 'As per the bus driver's own account, if indeed the brake of the bus had malfunctioned moments before the accident, then this means that the ill-fated bus wasn't properly maintained by the company owner who also happens to be Malay.' Editor's Note: The Transport Ministry had on yesterday (June 11) revoked the vehicle permit of the Kulim (Kedah)-based bus operator, Kenari Utara Travel & Tour Sdn Bhd, after it was found that the bus has been loaned to a different individual in Kelantan for RM500 per month. Additionally. the bus owner also failed to provide GPS (Global Positioning System) data report when asked by the authorities because the device was not activated during operation. Moreover, Siti Kasim also pointed to dashcam evidence which shows that the bus was driven at high speed just moments before the accidents (Editor's note: There was also eyewitnesses account that a few passengers had told the driver to slow down during the journey but he refused to heed such request). I can't fathom how all these facts are not bundled together but instead fingers are pointed at Loke in a racist manner? Are you not condemning the driver because he's a Malay (or the company which is Bumiputera-owned)? 'I feel called to comment as the remarks are getting out of hand … I don't wish to defend Loke for I'm not a boot-licker but the comments seem to point to a concerted effort by certain quarters to spark anger within the Malay community. To my Malay brethren, please filter your thoughts before airing your racist views on social media. Ask yourself if you would have done the same if the Transport Minister were to be a Malay especially given that the (UPSI) accident seems to stem from the driver's recklessness and the bus operator's poor vehicle maintenance as opposed to perhaps poor road conditions. – June 12, 2025
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Mother and son found dead in suspected double murder in Melaka (VIDEO)
KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — A woman and her son were found dead in what is believed to be a murder at a house in Taman Rambai Mutiara, Bukit Rambai, early this morning. It is understood that another family member survived the incident but sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment at the hospital, Kosmo! Online reported today. The woman, believed to be a schoolteacher and a single mother, was one of the two victims found at the scene. A check at the location revealed that a forensic team was still conducting investigations, and the bodies had yet to be removed by police at the time of reporting.
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Myanmar man fatally stabbed in Tangkak, Johor cops hunting UNHCR cardholder suspect
KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — Less than two weeks after a man killed his wife by slashing her throat with a vegetable knife, another murder has rocked the district of Tangkak, Johor — this time involving two foreign nationals. The latest incident occurred around 7pm last night, when a Myanmar man was fatally stabbed with a sharp weapon, believed to be a knife, at a rented house along Jalan Kemajuan, according to a report published in Harian Metro. According to police, a quarrel had broken out between the victim and the suspect, a 24-year-old Myanmar national, who fled the scene after the attack. Tangkak district police chief Superintendent Roslan Mohd Talib said the suspect holds a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) card. Efforts to track down the suspect are ongoing, and police have urged anyone with information to contact the Tangkak District Police Headquarters (IPD) hotline at 06-9785222 or the investigating officer at 019-2699573. On June 2, a woman was killed by her husband after a heated argument at a house in Taman Cahaya, Bukit Gambir. That case only came to light the following day when the suspect surrendered at a police station.
